Locking device



J. Q. BURGESS LOCKING DEVICE Nov. 19, W40.

Filed March 22, 1958 Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE LOCKING DEVICE James Q. Burgess, Hartford, Conn.

Application March 22,, 1938, Serial No. 197,471

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in looking devices and as illustrated herein relates more particularly to locking devices for Window screens.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved locking device particularly adapted toprevent relative sliding movement between objects to which it is secured. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved locking device having a manually operated member which may quickly and easily be moved to locking position and which will be maintained in locking position until a key is used to release the member. Another object is to provide a locking device having a member which may be adjustably secured in any one of a plurality of locking positions, and which will be automatically returned and unlocked after operation of the key. Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple eflective locking device which may be economically manufactured and which is particularly adapted to be easily and quickly secured to the member to be looked, as, for example, a window screen. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved lock particularly adapted for use with window screens which will be effective to prevent the screen from being raised without first unlocking the device, while also preventing lateral movement of the screen or movement of the upper window sash.

With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein certain forms which my invention may assume in practice, are shown for purposes of illustration.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective View of a screen and window frame, partially broken away to facilitate illustration, embodying one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the corner of a window screen, similar to the View shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a preferred form of locking device;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing the locking arm in window sash engaging position;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the locking arm in inoperative position;

Fig. 6 is a view in side elevation showing the locking arm in extended position;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 'l-lof 4;

Fig. 8 is a view in front elevation of a modification of the locking device;

Fig. 9 is a view in front elevation of still another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a view, on a reduced scale, of ablank 5 from which the casing member is formed.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail showing part of the latch mechanism of Figure '7.

Referring to the drawing, it will be noted that in Figure 1, a locking device I0 is secured to a window screen I I at one top corner thereof. The locking device Ill is provided with an inwardly and upwardly extending locking arm l2 which is arranged to engage the lower surface of a window sash frame 13 to prevent the screen I I from 15;,

being moved upwardly when the arm I2 is in the position shown in Figure 1.

As illustrated, the sides of the window frame are provided with metal tongue members -I4 which are secured to the sides of the window .20 opening by screws or other suitable fastenings I5, While the-screen H is provided at opposite sides with grooves into which tongues on the members I4 fit to permit the screen to slide up and down. Thus, while freely movable in a usual ,manner, when unlocked, the screen can be lower d and locked by the locking device I0 whenever desired.

In Figs. 3 to 7, inclusive, it will be noted that the locking device I0 is provided with a casing member l6 which may be formed of metal or other suitable material. The casing l6, as shown, is formed in two parts, one part being a rectangular shaped box ll formed from a fiat blank, as shown in Fig. 10, and provided with a cover I 8 which is secured to the box-like portion. I! by I screws IS. The front of the box portion I! is provided with a slot at its upper right hand corner through which passes the upper end of the arm 12. The lower portion of the box ll is'provided with a slot to receive the lower end of the :40 arm l2. The box I! is also provided with an opening 20 into which fits, a solid, cylindrical member 2| having a longitudinally extended key receiving aperture 22. The member 2| extends through a laterally enlarged hole Zi in a bolt member 23 adapted to be thrown by a key 22 and having at one end a reduced latch 24 arranged to enter one of a plurality of apertures formed in the body portion of the arm l2 to hold the latter in sash engaging position. The latch 24 has 51. looking abutment face 24a (Figure 11) at right angles to the arm I2 which engages the upper walls of the apertures 27 and an angularly related face 24b which engages the lower .walls of these apertures. The bolt member 23 is urged toward the arm I2 by a spring 25 interposed between the left-hand end of the bolt and the side of the box I! and is movable in the opposite direction only by the key. 5 As shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, the locking arm I2 is arcuate in shape and is provided at its lower end with an inturned portion 26 which acts as a stop to prevent excessive upward movement of the arm and also acts as a finger piece for moving the arm either upwardly or downwardly as desired. The upper end of the arm 12 is pointed to cause it to strike into the lower surface of the window sash frame I3,

thereby preventing transverse movement of the, screen II relatively to the window sash frame;

is. thus adjustable in order that it may engage;

the lower surface of the window sash frame which may be located varying distances above the top of the locking device. It will be noted that the angularly related latch face 24 slopes upwardly to permit the arm I2 to be moved upwardlywithout the necessity of inserting the key in the cylindrical lock member 2|, but that it is impossible to move the arm downwardly without first inserting the key in the slot 22 of the lock and turningthe key to withdraw the latch 24 from its cooperating aperture 21.

It is desirable, when the key is inserted in the lock and the end 24 is withdrawn from the cooperating aperture 21 in the arm I2, that the latter move downwardly automatically. In order to accomplish this result, a spring 28 is provided which is secured at one end through a hole in the top of the box I I and the otherend of which passes through a hole in a shoulder 29 formed on the arm I2. As illustrated, the bolt member is cut away to permit the spring 28 to move to the position shown in Fig. 5 to move the'arm I2 to the position shown in Fig. 5 when the latch 24 is withdrawn by the key.

The locking device I0 is secured to the screen 5 frame by means of laterally. extending members 30, 3I'whi-ch, as illustrated, are formed from ex- 1 tensions of the sides of the box, as shown in Fig. I0. These members '30, 3| are provided, as shown, with inwardly extending barbs which hold the locking device ID in operative position. It is to be noted that the members 30, 3I are inserted in saw-cuts formed at the proper distances from one upper oorner'of the window screen II and are then driven into position to insure that the barbs on the ends of the members 30, 3| strike into the wood forming theframe. I In Fig. 8, there is illustrated another form-of my invention wherein the locking device 10' is provided with a pair of substantially'parallel upstanding fastening members 33 and 34 which are arranged to engage the top bar of a window screen frame. These members 33 and 34 are provided with barbed ends whichare substantially the same asthe barb shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. It will be noted that in this embodiment "of the I invention, the screen lock I0 may be secured in position either at the corner of a screen or at any intermediate portion of the top bar of the screen frame. It is to be further noted that the locking mechanism and the operation thereof, is the 3 same as that shown in Figures 1 to '7, inclusive. In Figure 9, there is illustrated still another modification of my improved locking device wherein the casing member I1 is provided with a 'pair of'laterally extending members 35 and 3'6.

These members 35 and 36 may be formed from the sides of the box in the same manner as the fastening members 30 and 31 in the modification shown in Figure 1. Holes are provided in the members 35 and 36 which are arranged to receive wood screws'3'I and 38 for securing the locking device in position on the screen.

Although the invention has been described in detail, it may be well at this point briefly to describe the operation of the device. As previously stated, saw-cuts are formed at proper places on the window screen II and the barbed fastening members 3|], 3| are driven into the cuts to bring the top of the casing Ill flush with the surface of the screen frame I I or, as shown in Fig. 9, the

. lock may besecured to the window screen by the Whichever method is.

use of screws 31 and 33. used to secure the locking member in position, it will be noted that the securing operation is readily and conveniently accomplished without the use of any special tools or equipment. After the screen has been placed in position in a window frame, the locking arm I2 will be in substantially the position shown in Fig. 5, that is, with the' pointed end of the arm I2 substantially flush with the top surface of the casing I0. When it is desired to hold the screen against up and down sliding'movement, the lower end 26 of the arm I2 is grasped by the hand of the operator and is pushed upwardly, the angularly related latch face 24 of the reduced end of the bolt member permitting a ratcheting action so that the arm I2 is free to move upwardly but cannot be moved in the reverse direction, until. after a key has been placed in the lock and turned to move the reduced end of the bolt out of engagement with the arm. It will be noted that the pointed upperend will dig slightly into the bottom surface of the window sash frame and thus effectively prevent any lateral movement of the screen, while also preventing raising of the screen or lowering of dwelling since thieves of this type are averse to I breaking a lock or any other member which is designed to prevent ready access into the interior of the dwelling. This is due to the fact that such breaking would necessarily be accompanied by some noise which would call to the attention of the house owner that someone was attempting to enter. This device, therefore, provides a simple and an economical locking member which may readily and conveniently be applied to a window screen and prevent sneak thieves from entering, thus giving to the house owner a sense of security which he might not otherwise have.

While I have in this application specifically described several forms which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that the same are shown for purposes of illustration, and that my invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a locking device, a casing having front outwardly through the front face thereof-manually into locking position and an actuating free end projecting through said edge portion, means in said casing for releasably holdingsaid locking ing position, manual means for'projecting said member operable through the edge portion of said casing beneath said front face, means in said casing for releasably holding said member in projected locking position against return of its projected end toward said casing, and means for disabling said holding means operable from outside said casing.

3. In a locking device, a casing having front and rear faces and an edge portion therebetween, a locking member mounted in said casing and having a locking portion projectible outwardly through said front face into locking position, manual means for projecting said member operable through the edge portion of said casing beneath said front face, means in said casing for releasably holding said member in projected locking position, means for disabling said holding means operable from said front face of said casing, and means for automatically returning said locking member to unlocking position when released.

4. In a locking device, a casing having front and back faces and connecting edge faces, a locking member mounted in said casing and projectible through said front face into a plurality of projected positions, manual means for projecting said member operable through an exposed edge face of said casing, means in said casing for releasably holding said member in any of said projected positions against return of its projected end toward said casing, said locking member and holding means having ratcheting engagement for enabling movement of the former by said manual means into projected position, means for disabling said holding means operable from outside said casing, and means in said casing for automatically returning said locking member to its normal non-projected position in said casing when released.

5. In a locking device, a casing having a front face and peripheral edge faces, a locking member having a locking portion projectible through said front face and an operating end projecting through an adjacent edge face of said casing, means in said casing constantly biasing said locking member into a position in which said operat ing portion is projecting therefrom, means in said casing, for releasably holding said locking member in any of a plurality of projected positions thereof, and means for releasing said holding means.

6. In a locking device, a casing having a front face and peripheral edge faces, a locking member mounted in said casing, one end of said member comprising a locking portion projectible through the front face of said casing and the other end thereof comprising an operating member projectible through an edge face of said casing for manually projecting said locking portion, means in said casing for releasably holding said locking member in projected position, and means operable from outside said casing for releasing said locking member.

'7. In a locking device, a casing having front and back faces and peripheral connecting edge faces, a locking member projectible laterally through said front 'face, means extending through one of said edge faces for manually projecting said locking member, and means in said casing and operable from the exterior thereof for releasably holding saidlocking member in projected position upon operation of said manual means.

8. In a locking device, a casing having front and back faces and peripheral connecting edge faces, a locking member I projectible laterally through said front face, means extending through one of said edge faces for manually projecting said locking member, means in said casing for releasably holding said locking member in projected position upon operation of said manual means, and means other than said manual means and having an operating portion projecting from said front face, for releasing said holding means.

9. In a locking device, a casing having front and back walls and peripheral connecting edge walls, a locking member mounted in said casin adjacent and overlying one edge wall thereof having a locking portion projectible through said front Wall into locking position and an operating portion extending through an edge wall of said casing and manually operable to project said locking portion, said locking member having a plurality of spaced shoulders within said casing, a latch in said casing biased into position to engage said shoulders and hold said locking member in any of its projected locking positions, and means operable from the exterior of said casing for releasing said latch.

10. In a locking device for screens having angularly related frame members and screen mesh fastened to said frame members adjacent one side thereof, a lock casing having front, back and edge faces adapted to be mounted with an edge face thereof on the inner edge of a frame member with the front of said casing within the plane of the other side of said screen, a locking member mounted in said casing having a locking portion projectible through said front face angularly beyond said other side of said screen into screen locking position, and means for selectively projecting and retracting said locking member.

11. In a locking device for screens haw'ng angularly related frame members and screen mesh fastened to said frame members adjacent one side thereof, a lock casing having front, back and edge faces adapted to be mounted with an edge face thereof on the inner edge of a frame member With the front of said casing Within the plane of the other side of said screen, a looking member mounted in said casing having a locking portion projectible through said front face angularly beyond said other side of said screen into screen locking position, and means for selectively projecting and retracting said locking member, said casing being suspended from said frame member and spaced from cooperating frame members.

12. In a locking device for screens having angularly related frame members and screen mesh fastened to said frame members adjacent one side thereof, a lock casing having front, back and edge faces adapted to be mounted with an edge face thereof on the inner edge of a frame member with the front of said casing Within the plane of the other side of said screen, a locking member mounted in said casing having a locking portion projectible through said front face angularly beyond said other side of said screen into screen locking position, and means for selectively projecting and retracting said locking member, said casing being mounted in the corner of adjacent angulariy related frame members. 13. In a locking device for screens having angularly related frame members and screen mesh fastened to said frame at one side thereof, a lock casing having front, back and edge faces adapted to be mounted with an edge face thereof on the inner edge of a frame member with the front of said casing within the planes of said from an exposed face of said casing for releasing 10 said locking member.

JAMES Q. BURGESS. 

